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to　years　of　tuition；　spoke　Arabic　very　prettily。

〃Nay；　my　chosen；〃　she　answered；　with　a　little　forced　
laugh；　〃I　did　but　sing　unto　thee　after　the　fashion　of　
my　people。　Surely；　I　meant　nothing。　How　could　I　speak　
of　that　which　is　not　yet？〃

〃And　what　didst　thou　see；　Ustane？〃　I　asked；　looking　
her　sharply　in　the　face。

〃Nay；〃　she　answered　again；　〃I　saw　naught。　Ask　me　not　
what　I　saw。　Why　should　I　fright　ye？〃　And　then；　turning　
to　Leo　with　a　look　of　the　most　utter　tenderness　that　I　
ever　saw　upon　the　face　of　a　woman；　civilized　or　
savage；　she　took　his　head　between　her　hands；　and　
kissed　him　on　the　forehead　as　a　mother　might。　〃When　I　
am　gone　from　thee；　my　chosen；　when　at　night　thou　
stretchest　out：　thy　hand　and　canst　not　find　me；　then　
shouldst　thou　think　at　times　of　me；　for　of　a　truth　I　
love　thee　well；　though　I　be　not　fit　to　wash　thy　feet。　
And　now　let　us　love　and　take　that　which　is　given　us；　
and　be　happy；　for　in　the　grave　there　is　no　love　and　no　
warmth；　nor　any　touching　of　the　lips。　Nothing　
perchance；　or　perchance　but　bitter　memories　of　what　
might　have　been。　To…night　the　hours　are　our　own；　how　
know　we　to　whom　they　shall　belong　to…morrow？〃

CHAPTER　VIII

THE　FEAST；　AND　AFTER！

On　the　day　following　this　remarkable　scenea　scene　
calculated　to　make　a　deep　impression　upon　anybody　who　
beheld　it；　more　because　of　what　it　suggested　and　
seemed　to　foreshadow　than　of　what　it　revealedit　was　
announced　to　us　that　a　feast　would　be　held　that　
evening　in　our　honor。　I　did　my　best　to　get　out　of　it；　
saying　that　we　were　modest　people；　and　cared　little　
for　feasts　but　my　remarks　being　received　with　the　
silence　of　displeasure；　I　thought　it　wisest　to　hold　my　
tongue。

Accordingly；　just　before　sundown；　I　was　informed　that　
everything　was　ready；　and；　accompanied　by　Job；　went　
into　the　cave；　where　I　met　Leo；　who　was；　as　usual；　
followed　by　Ustane。　These　two　had　been　out　walking　
somewhere；　and　knew　nothing　of　the　projected　festivity　
till　that　moment。　When　Ustane　heard　of　it　I　saw　an　
expression　of　horror　spring　up　upon　her　handsome　
features。　Turning；　she　caught　a　man　who　was　passing　up　
the　cave　by　the　arm；　and　asked　him　something　in　an　
imperious　tone。　His　answer　seemed　to　reassure　her　a　
little；　for　she；　looked　relieved；　though　far　from　
satisfied。　Next　she　appeared　to　attempt　some　
remonstrance　with　the　man；　who　was　a　person　in　
authority；　but　he　spoke　angrily　to　her；　and　shook　her　
off；　and　then；　changing　his　mind；　led　her　by　the　arm；　
and　sat　her　down　between　himself　and　another　man　in　
the　circle　round　the　fire；　and　I　perceived　that　for　
some　reason　of　her　own　she　thought　it　best　to　submit。

The　fire　in　the　cave　was　an　unusually　big　one　that　
night；　and　in　a　large　circle　round　it　were　gathered　
about　thirty…five　men　and　two　women；　Ustane　and　the　
woman　to　avoid　whom　Job　had　played　the　role　of　another　
Scriptural　character。　The　men　were　sitting　in　perfect　
silence；　as　was　their　custom；　each　with　his　great　
spear　stuck　upright　behind　him；　in　a　socket　cut　in　the　
rock　for　that　purpose。　Only　one　or　two　wore　the　
yellowish　linen　garment　of　which　I　have　spoken；　the　
rest　had　nothing　on　except　the　leopard's　skin　about　
the　middle。

〃What's　up　now；　sir？〃　said　Job；　doubtfully。　〃Bless　us　
and　save　us；　there's　that　woman　again。　Now；　surely；　
she　can't　be　after　me；　seeing　that　I　have　given　her　no　
encouragement。　They　give　me　the　creeps；　the　whole　lot　
of　them；　and　that's　a　fact。　Why；　look；　they　have　asked　
Mahomed　to　dine；　too。　There；　that　lady　of　mine　is　
talking　to　him　in　as　nice　and　civil　a　way　as　possible。　
Well；　I'm　glad　it　isn't　me；　that's　all。〃

We　looked　up；　and　sure　enough　the　woman　in　question　
had　risen；　and　was　escorting　the　wretched　Mahomed　from　
the　corner；　where；　overcome　by　some　acute　prescience　
of　horror；　he　had　been　seated；　shivering　and　calling　
on　Allah。　He　appeared　unwilling　enough　to　come；　if　for　
no　other　reason　perhaps　because　it　was　an　unaccustomed　
honor；　for　hitherto　his　food　had　been　given　to　him　
apart。　Anyway　I　could　see　that　he　was　in　a　state　of　
great　terror；　for　his　tottering　legs　would　scarcely　
support　his　stout；　bulky　form；　and　I　think　it　was　
rather　owing　to　the　resources　of　barbarism　behind　him；　
in　the　shape　of　a　huge　Amahagger　with　a　
proportionately　huge　spear；　than　to　the　seduction　of　
the　lady　who　led　him　by　the　hand；　that　he　consented　to　
come　at　all。

〃Well；〃　I　said　to　the　others；　〃I　don't　at　all　like　the　
look　of　things；　but　I　suppose　that　we　must　face　it　
out。　Have　you　fellows　got　your　revolvers　on　because；　
if　so；　you　had　better　see　that　they're　loaded。〃

〃I　have；　sir；〃　said　Job；　tapping　his　Colt；　〃but　Mr。　
Leo　has　only　got　his　hunting…knife；　though　that　is　big　
enough；　surely。〃

Feeling　that　it　would　not　do　to　wait　while　the　missing　
weapon　was　fetched；　we　advanced　boldly；　and　seated　
ourselves　in　a　line；　with　our　backs　against　the　side　
of　the　cave。

As　soon　as　we　were　seated；　an　earthenware　jar　was　
passed　round　containing　a　fermented　fluid；　of　by　no　
means　unpleasant　taste；　though　apt　to　turn　upon　the　
stomach；　made　of　crushed　grainnot　Indian　corn；　but　a　
small　brown　grain　that　grows　upon　the　stem　in　
clusters；　not　unlike　that　which　in　the　southern　part　
of　Africa　is　known　by　the　name　of　Kaffir　corn。　The　
vase　in　which　this　liquid　was　handed　round　was　very　
curious；　and　as　it　more　or　less　resembled　many　
hundreds　of　others　in　use　among　the　Amahagger　I　may　as　
well　describe　it。　These　vases　are　of　a　very　ancient　
manufacture；　and　of　all　sizes。　None　such　can　have　been　
made　in　the　country　for　hundreds；　or　rather　thousands；　
of　years。　They　are　found　in　the　rock　tombs；　of　which　I　
shall　give　a　description　in　their　proper　place；　and　my　
own　belief　is　that；　after　the　fashion　of　the　
Egyptians；　with　whom　the　former　inhabitants　of　this　
country　may　have　had　some　connection；　they　were　used　
to　receive　the　viscera　of　the　dead。　Leo；　however；　is　
of　opinion　that；　as　in　the　case　of　Etruscan　amphorae；　
they　were　placed　there　for　the　spiritual　use　of　the　
deceased。　They　are　mostly　two…handled；　and　of　all　
sizes；　some　being　nearly　three　feet　in　height；　and　
running　from　that　down　to　as　many　inches。　In　shape　
they　vary；　but　are　all　exceedingly　beautiful　and　
graceful；　being　made　of　a　very　fine　black　ware；　not　
lustrous；　but　slightly　rough。　On　this　groundwork　were　
inlaid　figures　much　more　graceful　and　lifelike　than　
any　others　I　have　seen　on　antique　vases。　Some　of　these　
inlaid　pictures　represented　love…scenes　with　a　child…
like　simplicity　and　freedom　of　manner　which　would　not　
commend　itself　to　the　taste　of　the　present　day。　Others　
again　were　pictures　of　maidens　dancing；　and　yet　others　
of　hunting…scenes。　For　instance；　the　very　vase　from　
which　we　were　then　drinking　had　on　one　side　a　most　
spirited　drawing　of　men；　apparently　white　in　color；　
attacking　a　bull…elephant　with　spears；　while　on　the　
reverse　was　a　picture　not　quite　so　well　done；　of　a　
hunter　shooting　an　arrow　at　a　running　antelope；　I　
should　say；　from　the　look　of　it；　either　an　eland　or　a　
koodoo。　

This　is　a　digression　at　a　critical　point　but　it　is　not　
too　long　for　the　occasion　itself　was　very　long。　With　
the　exception　of　the　periodical　passing　of　the　vase；　
and　the　movement　necessary　to　throw　fuel　on　to　the　
fire；　nothing　happened　for　the　best　part　of　a　whole　
hour。　Nobody　spoke　a　word。　There　we　all　sat　in　perfect　
silence；　staring　at　the　glare　and　glow　of　the　large　
fire；　and　at　the　shadows　thrown　by　the　flickering　
earthenware　lamps　（which；　by　the　way；　were　not　
ancient）。　On　the　open　space　between　us　and　the　fire　
lay　a　large　wooden　tray；　with　four　short　handles　to　
it；　exactly　like　a　butcher's　tray；　only　not　hollowed　
out。　By　the　side　of　the　tray　was　a　great　pair　of　long…
handled　iron　pincers；　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　
fire　was　a　similar　pair。　Somehow　I　did　not　at　all　like　
the　appearance　of　this　tray　and　the　accompanying　
pincers。　There　I　sat　and　stared　at　them　and　at　the　
silent　circle　of　the　fierce；　moody　faces　of　the　men；　
and　reflected　that　it　was　all　very　awful；　and　that　we　
were　absolutely　in　the　power　of　this　alarming　people；　
who；　to　me　at　any　rate；　were　all　the　more　formidable　
because　their　true　character　was　still　very　much　of　a　
mystery　to　us。　They　might　be　better　than　I　thought　
them；　or　they　might　be　worse。　I　feared　that　they　were　
worse；　and　I　was　not　wrong。　It　was　a　curious　sort　of　a　
feast；　I　reflected；　in　appearance；　indeed；　an　
entertainment　of　the　Barmecide　stamp；　for　there　was　
absolutely　nothing　to　eat。

At　last；　just　as　I　was　beginning　to　feel　as　though　I　
were　being　mesmerized；　a　move　was　made。　Without　the　
slightest　warning；　a　man　from　the　other　side　of　the　
circle　called　out　in　a　loud　voice；

〃Where　is　the　flesh　that　we　shall　eat？〃

Thereon　everybody　in　the　circle　answered　in　a　deep；　
measured　tone；　and　stretching　out　the　right　arm　
towards　the　fire　as　he　spoke

〃The　flesh　will　come。〃

〃Is　it　a　goat？〃　said　the　same　man。

〃It　is　a　goat　without　horns；　and　more　than　a　goat；　and　
we　shall　slay　it；〃　they　answered；　with　one　voice；　and　
turning　half　round　they　one　and　all　grasped　the　
handles　of　their　spears　with　the　right　hand；　and　then